U.S. patent number 5,341,969 [Application Number 08/115,108] was granted by the patent office on 1994-08-30 for container accommodating paint, roller and brush and lid therefor.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Accamark Partnership. Invention is credited to Carl A. Accardo, Kenneth J. Marks.
United States Patent |
5,341,969 |
Accardo , et al. |
August 30, 1994 |
Container accommodating paint, roller and brush and lid
therefor
Abstract
A container suitable for holding paint incorporating a first
open receptacle having integrated therein a paint distribution
board for use with a paint roller and a second open receptacle
suitable both for holding a paint brush and to serve as a means for
pouring liquid from the container. A lid suitable for covering the
container.
Inventors: |
Accardo; Carl A. (Mauston,
WI), Marks; Kenneth J. (Lake Bluff, IL) |
Assignee: |
Accamark Partnership (McHenry,
IL)
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Family
ID: |
26674804 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/115,108 |
Filed: |
September 2, 1993 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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5813 |
Jan 19, 1993 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
222/465.1;
222/572 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B44D
3/121 (20130101); B44D 3/126 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B44D
3/12 (20060101); A47G 019/14 () |
Field of
Search: |
;222/465.1,572
;15/257.05,257.06 ;220/697,570 ;D32/53.1 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Kashnikow; Andres
Assistant Examiner: Derakshani; Philippe
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Roper & Quigg
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation application of application Ser.
No. 08/005,813, filed Jan. 19, 1993, now abandoned.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A container comprising:
(A)a first open receptacle comprising:
(1) a first bottom wall,
(2) a first front wall,
(3) two first side walls,
(4) a first rear wall,
each of said first front wall, first side walls and first rear wall
fixedly attached at its lower edge to an edge of said first bottom
wall and at its side edges to a side edge of an adjacent first wall
to form said first open receptacle for holding a quantity of
liquid;
said first rear wall (A) (4) forming an upper edge continuous with
and perpendicular to the upper edge of each first side wall and
with said upper edge in a plane parallel to the plane of said first
bottom wall, said first rear wall comprising:
(a) two quadrilateral, support panels of equal size, one of said
support panels adjoining each first side wall;
(b) a central, quadrilateral panel, of sufficient width to
accommodate the roller of a paint roller, the edge of said panel
adjoining said first bottom wall sufficiently inset from the
continuous upper edge of said first rear wall to form an incline
between the edge adjoining said first bottom wall and said upper
edge; and
(c) two triangular support panels, each adjacent to said
quadrilateral support panels with a side edge of each fixedly
attached to an adjoining edge of a quadrilateral support panel and
an edge fixedly attached to an edge of said central, quadrilateral
panel;
said first front wall (A) (2) forming an upper edge continuous with
the upper edge of the adjacent first side wall and with said upper
edge in a plane parallel to the plane of said first bottom wall and
forming, inside said first open receptacle, an obtuse angle with
the upper edge of the adjacent first side wall, said first front
wall comprising:
(a) two quadrilateral, support panels of equal size, one of said
support panels adjoining each first side wall forming an obtuse
angle therewith, inside said first open receptacle;
(b) a central, quadrilateral panel the edge of which adjoining said
first bottom wall is parallel to the bottom edge of said central,
quadrilateral panel of said first rear wall and inset from a plane
that includes the edges at which said support panels adjoin said
first front wall, said central, quadrilateral panel sized so that
an opening is formed between its upper edge and the plane
containing the upper edges of said first side walls; and
(c) two transition moldings, each transition molding joining an
edge of said central, quadrilateral panel to an edge of a
quadrilateral, support panel and each transition molding sized
along with the upper edge of said central, quadrilateral panel, to
form;
(B) a continuous, transition panel, said continuous, transition
panel in a plane parallel to said first bottom wall and sized to
close the inset area formed between said transition moldings at
their upper edge,
(C) a second open receptacle comprising:
(1) a second bottom wall,
(2) a second front wall,
(3) two second side walls,
(4) a second rear wall,
each of said second front wall, second side walls and second rear
wall fixedly attached at its lower edge to an edge of said second
bottom wall and at its side edges to a side edge of an adjacent
second wall to form said second open receptacle,
said second rear wall (C) (4) fixedly attached to an edge of said
continuous, transition panel and sized so that said second open
receptacle has sufficient depth to retain a quantity of liquid;
said second side walls (C) (3), each forming an upper edge
continuous with the upper edge of the adjacent quadrilateral,
support panel of said first open receptacle and with said upper
edge in a plane parallel to the plane of said first bottom wall,
said second side walls sized to mate in fixed attachment with said
second front wall, said second rear wall and said second bottom
wall;
said second bottom wall (C) (1) in a plane parallel to the plane of
said first bottom wall; and
said second front wall (C) (2) comprising a quadrilateral panel
molded in fixed attachment at one edge with said second bottom wall
and at the edges adjacent thereto in fixed attachment with said
second side walls with the remaining edge forming an equal, obtuse
angle with the upper edge of each of said side walls inside said
second open receptacle thereby forming a spout for pouring.
2. A container according to claim 1 wherein the dimensions of said
container are sized so that said container is nestable with a
duplicate container.
3. A container according to claim 2 wherein (1) each of said front
wall, side walls and rear wall of each of said first and second
open receptacles is sufficiently longer at its upper edge than at
the edge that adjoins the bottom wall, (2) each of said central,
quadrilateral panel of said first rear wall; said central,
quadrilateral panel and said two transition moldings of said first
front wall of said first open receptacle is sufficiently longer at
the edge that adjoins the bottom wall than at its upper edge and
(3) said continuous transition panel is sized so that said
container is nestable with a duplicate container.
4. A container according to claim 2 wherein said first bottom wall
has a groove, said groove inset from the outside of said first
receptacle with the length of said groove parallel to the edge
formed by the junction of said first bottom wall and said central,
rectangular panel.
5. A container according to claim 2 wherein the upper edge of each
one of said two quadrilateral, support panels of equal size,
adjoining the upper edge of each first side wall forms therewith an
obtuse angle of 98.degree. inside said first open receptacle.
6. A container according to claim 2 wherein said second front wall,
quadrilateral panel is molded with said remaining edge forming an
equal, obtuse angle of 120.degree. with the upper edge of each of
said side walls inside said second open receptacle.
7. A container according to claim 6 wherein said remaining edge of
said second front wall, quadrilateral panel is in the same plane as
the upper edge of each of said side walls of said second open
receptacle.
8. A container according to claim 6 wherein said remaining edge of
said second front wall, quadrilateral panel is in a plane declined
10.degree. from the plane of the upper edge of each of said side
walls of said second open receptacle.
9. A container according to claim 6 wherein said remaining edge of
said second front wall, quadrilateral panel is in a plane inclined
10.degree. upward from the plane of the upper edge of each of said
side walls of said second open receptacle.
10. A container according to claim 2 wherein said continuous upper
edge of said central, quadrilateral panel of said first rear wall
comprises a means for securing the handle of a paint roller.
11. A container according to claim 10 wherein said means for
securing the handle of a paint roller is centered on said
continuous upper edge of said central, quadrilateral panel of said
first rear wall.
12. A container according to claim 7 wherein said remaining edge of
said second front wall, quadrilateral panel forms a continuous
lipped edge with the upper edges of all portions of walls forming
the outer periphery of said container.
13. A container according to claim 8 wherein said remaining edge of
said second front wall, quadrilateral panel forms a continuous
lipped edge with the upper edges of all portions of walls forming
the outer periphery of said container.
14. A container according to claim 9 wherein said remaining edge of
said second front wall, quadrilateral panel forms a continuous
lipped edge with the upper edges of all portions of walls forming
the outer periphery of said container.
15. A container according to claim 2 wherein said central,
quadrilateral panel of said first rear wall (A) (4) has a
corrugated surface on the inside of said container.
16. A continuous surface, flat lid having a depending lipped edge
said depending lipped edge sized for its inner surface to engage
the outer surface of said continuous lipped edge of claim 12
thereby covering said container.
17. A lid according to claim 16 comprising a cut out portion at the
edge adjacent said central, quadrilateral panel of said first rear
wall (A) (4) said cut out portion sized to accommodate the handle
of a paint roller.
18. A lid according to claim 16 comprising a cut out portion
located within the periphery of said second open container said cut
out portion sized to accommodate the handle of a paint brush.
19. A lid according to claim 18 also comprising a cut out portion
at the edge adjacent said central, quadrilateral panel of said
first rear wall (A) (4) said cut out portion sized to accommodate
the handle of a paint roller.
20. A continuous surface lid having a depending lipped edge said
depending lipped edge sized for its inner surface to engage the
outer surface of said continuous lipped edge of claim 13 thereby
covering said container.
21. A lid according to claim 20 comprising a cut out portion at the
edge adjacent said central, quadrilateral panel of said first rear
wall (A) (4) said cut out portion sized to accommodate the handle
of a paint roller.
22. A lid according to claim 20 comprising a cut out portion
located within the periphery of said second open container said cut
out portion sized to accommodate the handle of a paint brush.
23. A lid according to claim 22 also comprising a cut out portion
at the edge adjacent said central, quadrilateral panel of said
first rear wall (A) (4) said cut out portion sized to accommodate
the handle of a paint roller.
24. A continuous surface lid having a depending lipped edge said
depending lipped edge sized for its inner surface to engage the
outer surface of said continuous lipped edge of claim 14 thereby
covering said container.
25. A lid according to claim 24 comprising a cut out portion at the
edge adjacent said central, quadrilateral panel of said first rear
wall (A) (4) said cut out portion sized to accommodate the handle
of a paint roller.
26. A lid according to claim 24 comprising a cut out portion
located within the periphery of said second open container said cut
out portion sized to accommodate the handle of a paint brush.
27. A lid according to claim 26 also comprising a cut out portion
at the edge adjacent said central, quadrilateral panel of said
first rear wall (A) (4) said cut out portion sized to accommodate
the handle of a paint roller.
28. A continuous surface lid having edges tapered from the outer
side to the inner side said tapered edges sized for the tapered
edges of the lid to engage the inner surface of said container of
claim 1 within the continuous lipped edge of the container thereby
covering said container.
29. A lid according to claim 28 comprising a cut out portion at the
edge adjacent said central, quadrilateral panel of said first rear
wall (A) (4) said cut out portion sized to accommodate the handle
of a paint roller.
30. A lid according to claim 28 comprising a cut out portion
located within the periphery of said second open container said cut
out portion sized to accommodate the handle of a paint brush.
31. A lid according to claim 30 also comprising a cut out portion
at the edge adjacent said central, quadrilateral panel of said
first rear wall (A) (4) said cut out portion sized to accommodate
the handle of a paint roller.
32. A lid according to claim 16 comprising a handle means.
33. A lid according to claim 28 comprising a handle means.
34. A container comprising an open topped receptacle formed by a
bottom wall, a front wall, two side walls, said side walls having
upper edges contained in a plane at the top of the container and a
rear wall wherein (1) said front wall further comprises (a) a
continuous transition panel in a plane parallel to the bottom wall
and sufficiently removed from (b) the plane containing the upper
edges of the two side walls to form an opening therebetween thereby
forming a lip over which liquid can be poured from said container
and (2) said rear wall further comprises (c), a central panel
forming a slanted distribution board and (d) support panels
extending from the distribution board and adjoining with a side
wall, the support panels and sidewalls extending rearward from the
edge at which the inset, central panel and the bottom wall join
thereby surrounding an area of the bottom wall sufficient to
provide stabilizing supporting structure to counteract pressure
applied against the inside surface of the distribution board.
35. A container according to claim 1 comprising handle means.
36. A container according to claim 1 further comprising a second
opened top receptacle formed by a bottom wall, a front wall, two
side walls and a rear wall wherein said rear wall of the second
receptacle is attached to the front wall of the first receptacle so
that liquid can be poured over the continuous transition panel from
the first receptacle to the second receptacle.
37. A container of claim 36 wherein the front wall of said second
receptacle forms a pouring spout.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to containers. In one of its aspects it
relates to containers with fitted lids. In another of its aspects
it relates to containers useful in the handling of paint. In yet
another of its aspects it relates to equipment used for
painting.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many containers have been described that are useful for the storage
of paint or for use during the process of active painting. Most
containers used for the storage of paint are simply lidded
containers that can be covered tightly when paint is to be held for
a period between times of active use. Most containers intended for
use during the process of active painting are variants of open
topped containers that perhaps have a specialized convenience
attached, such as a brush holder or a brush stroking edge as is
illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,164,299, which discloses a hand
held, double receptacle tray having a compartment for paint and an
adjacent compartment in which a brush can be deposited. This patent
also discloses a container with stroking edges against which paint
can be wiped from the brush and returned to the container both down
the inside of the container and from a collection trough on the
outside of a stroking edge through corner gaps back into the inside
of the container. These corner gaps are also useful as a means by
which paint can be poured from the container.
Since much painting is done with rollers, it would be advantageous
for a paint container to have as a permanent part of the container
a corrugated board across which a paint roller can be rubbed to
distribute the paint on the roller. There is an added need,
however, to provide stability to the container when the roller is
moved up the corrugated surface of an internal paint distribution
board in a paint container.
It is also advantageous, even when the majority of the surface is
being painted with a roller, to have a brush handy for tight
corners, edges or touch up work. When using either a roller, a
brush or both, it would be convenient, if called away from the
painting task, to be able to cover the paint container to protect
the paint without having to place the roller or brush outside of
the container.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a paint
container that has an internal, paint distribution board as an
integral part of the container and that remains stable when the
paint distribution board is used.
It is another object of the invention to provide a container with a
compartment for each of a roller and a brush, with provision for
holding paint in either compartment.
It is another object of this invention to provide means by which
the handle of a paint roller can be secured to the container.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a container
with facilitated means for pouring the contained liquid.
It is a further object of this invention to provide containers that
are nestable to facilitate storage or shipping.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a lid for the
container that allows the roller or brush to be retained in its
compartment when the container is sealed with a cover.
These and other aspects, objects and the various advantages of this
invention will become apparent upon reading this specification and
studying the appended drawing and claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of the container and lid of the
present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the container of the present invention
(without lid).
FIG. 3 is a view from the side of the container and lid of the
present invention.
FIG. 4 is a view from the rear of the container and lid of the
present invention.
FIG. 5 is a view from the front of the container and lid of the
present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
According to this invention a container is provided which has as
integrated components: a first open receptacle, a second open
receptacle and a continuous, transition panel closing the top of an
inset between the two receptacles.
The first open receptacle has as components: (1) a first bottom
wall, (2) a first front wall, (3) two first side walls and (4) a
first rear wall. Each of the first front wall, first side walls and
first rear wall is fixedly attached at its lower edge to an edge of
the first bottom wall and at its side edges to a side edge of an
adjacent first wall thereby forming a first open receptacle for
holding a quantity of liquid.
The first rear wall (4) forms an upper edge continuous with and
perpendicular to the upper edge of each first side wall and with
the upper edge in a plane parallel to the plane of the first bottom
wall. The first rear wall is made up of: (a) two quadrilateral,
support panels of equal size, one of the support panels adjoining
each first side wall; (b) a central, quadrilateral panel,
sufficiently wide to accommodate the roller of a paint roller, the
edge of the quadrilateral panel adjoining the first bottom wall
sufficiently inset from the continuous upper edge of the first rear
wall to form an incline between the edge adjoining the first bottom
wall and the upper edge and (c) two triangular support panels, each
adjoining the quadrilateral support panels with a side edge of each
triangular panel fixedly attached to an adjoining edge of a
quadrilateral support panel and an edge fixedly attached to an edge
of the central, quadrilateral panel.
The first front wall (2) forms an upper edge continuous with the
upper edge of the adjacent first side wall and with the upper edge
in a plane parallel to the plane of the first bottom wall and
forms, inside the first open receptacle, an obtuse angle with the
upper edge of the adjacent first side wall. The first front wall is
made up of: (a) two quadrilateral, support panels of equal size,
one of the support panels adjoining each first side wall forming an
obtuse angle therewith, inside the first open receptacle; (b) a
central, quadrilateral panel the edge of which adjoining the first
bottom wall is parallel to the bottom edge of the central,
quadrilateral panel of the first rear wall and inset from a plane
that includes the edges at which the support panels adjoin the
first front wall, the central, quadrilateral panel sized so that an
opening is formed between its upper edge and the plane containing
the upper edges of the first side walls and (c) two transition
moldings, each transition molding joining an edge of the central,
quadrilateral panel to an edge of a quadrilateral, support panel
and each transition molding sized along the upper edge of said
central, quadrilateral panel, to form a continuous, transition
panel.
The continuous, transition panel is in a plane parallel to the
first bottom wall and sized to close the inset area formed between
the transition moldings at their upper edge.
The second open receptacle has as components: (1) a second bottom
wall, (2) a second front wall, (3) two second side walls and (4) a
second rear wall. Each of the second front wall, second side walls
and second rear wall is fixedly attached at its lower edge to an
edge of the second bottom wall and at its side edges to a side edge
of an adjacent second wall thereby forming the second open
receptacle.
The second rear wall (4) is fixedly attached to an edge of the
continuous, transition panel and sized so that the second open
receptacle has sufficient depth to retain a quantity of liquid. The
second side walls (3) each form an upper edge continuous with the
upper edge of the adjacent quadrilateral, support panel of the
first open receptacle. This upper edge is in a plane parallel to
the plane of the first bottom wall. The second side walls are sized
to mate in fixed attachment with the second front wall, the second
rear wall and the second bottom wall.
The second bottom wall (1) is in a plane parallel to the plane of
the first bottom wall.
The second front wall (2) is made up of a quadrilateral panel
molded in fixed attachment at one edge with the second bottom wall
and at the edges adjacent thereto molded in fixed attachment with
the second side walls. The remaining edge forms an equal, obtuse
angle with the upper edge of each of the side walls inside the
second open receptacle thereby providing a spout for pouring.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention (1) each of said front
panel, side panels and rear panel of each of said first and second
open receptacles is sufficiently longer at its upper than at its
lower edge, (2) each of said central, quadrilateral panel of said
first rear wall of said first open receptacle and said central,
quadrilateral panel of said first front wall of said first open
receptacle is sufficiently longer at its lower than at its upper
edge and (3) said continuous transition panel is sized so that said
container is nestable with a duplicate container.
Also according to this invention there is provided a continuous
surface lid having a depending lipped edge with the depending
lipped edge sized for its inner surface to engage the outer surface
of the continuous edge formed by the upper edge of the second front
wall, quadrilateral panel and the upper edges of all portions of
walls forming the outer periphery of the container so that the
container is covered.
In a preferred embodiment of this invention the lid has (1) a cut
out portion at the edge adjacent the central, quadrilateral panel
of the first rear wall with the cut out portion sized to
accommodate the handle of a paint roller, (2) a cut out portion
located within the periphery of the second open container with the
cut out portion sized to accommodate the handle of a paint brush or
(3) the lid has both (1) and (2).
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In FIGS. 1-5 of the Drawing like numbers denote like features. A
container of the present invention is indicated by reference
numeral 1. This container can be described as having as integrated
components: a first open receptacle 3, a second open receptacle 5
and a continuous, transition panel 7 closing the top of an inset
between the two receptacles.
The first open receptacle 3 provides containment for a charge of
paint, lacquer, stain, adhesive, paste, cleaning fluid or similar
liquid or suspension and is sized to be sufficiently wide to
accommodate the roller portion of a paint roller. This receptacle
can contain means for distributing paint onto a paint roller and
provides the stability necessary to fully utilize a paint
distribution board integrated into the container.
This receptacle is made up of a first bottom wall 9, a first front
wall 11, two first side walls 13,15 and a first rear wall 17. Each
of the first front wall 11, first side walls 13,15 and first rear
wall 17 is fixedly attached at its lower edge to an edge 19 of the
first bottom wall 9 and at its side edges 21 to a side edge 21 of
an adjacent first wall thereby forming a first open receptacle 3
for holding a quantity of liquid.
The first rear wall 17 forms an upper edge 23 continuous with and
perpendicular to the upper edge 23 of each first side wall 13,15
and with the upper edge in a plane parallel to the plane of the
first bottom wall 9.
The first rear wall 17 is made up of: (a) two quadrilateral,
support panels 25,27 of equal size, one of the support panels
adjoining each first side wall 13,15; (b) a central, quadrilateral
panel 29, sufficiently wide to accommodate the roller of a paint
roller, the edge of the central, quadrilateral panel 29 adjoining
the first bottom wall 9 sufficiently inset from the continuous
upper edge 23 of the first rear wall 17 to form an incline 31
between the edge 19 adjoining the first bottom wall 9 and the upper
edge 23 and (c) two triangular support panels 33,35, each adjoining
the quadrilateral support panels 25,27 with a side edge 37,39 of
each triangular panel fixedly attached to an adjoining edge of a
quadrilateral support panel 25,27 and a panel edge 41,43 fixedly
attached to an edge of the central, quadrilateral panel 29.
The characteristics of the first rear wall 17 provide novel
features to the container of this invention in that the combination
of (a) the inset of the central, quadrilateral panel 29 at the edge
at which it joins the first bottom wall 9 to form a slanted, paint
distribution board that is built into the container structure and
(b) the support given by the structure resulting from the
arrangement of the two triangular support panels 33,35; the two
quadrilateral, support panels 25,27 and the side walls 13,15 allow
a paint roller to be rubbed against the paint distribution board
without fear of overturning the container. The base of the central,
quadrilateral panel 29 can be inset by any distance needed to
provide the amount of slope determined as desirable for the paint
distribution board, but the inset will generally be less than half
the distance across the first bottom wall 9, so that there is
adequate room in the base of the container for the contained
liquid. The paint distribution board will usually be formed with a
corrugated upper surface which can take the form of a design such
as herringbone. The corrugated surface is an aid in the
distribution of paint on the roller.
The first front wall 11 forms an upper edge 23 continuous with the
upper edge 23 of the adjacent first side wall and with the upper
edge 23 in a plane parallel to the plane of the first bottom wall 9
and forms, inside the first open receptacle 3, an obtuse angle 45
of up to 115.degree., preferably up to about 105.degree., and most
preferably about 98.degree. with the upper edge 23 of the adjacent
first side wall 13,15.
The first front wall 11 is made up of: (a) two quadrilateral,
support panels 47,49 of equal size, one of the support panels
adjoining each first side wall 13,15 forming an obtuse angle of up
to 115.degree., preferably up to about 105.degree., and most
preferably about 98.degree. therewith, inside the first open
receptacle 3; (b) a central, quadrilateral panel 51 the edge of
which adjoining the first bottom wall 9 is parallel to the bottom
edge of the central, quadrilateral panel 29 of the first rear wall
and inset from a plane that includes the edges at which the support
panels 47,49 adjoin the first front wall 11, the central,
quadrilateral panel 51 sized so that an opening 53 is formed
between its upper edge 55 and the plane containing the upper edges
of the first side walls 13,15 and (c) two transition moldings
57,59, each transition molding joining an edge 61 of the central,
quadrilateral panel 51 to an edge of a quadrilateral, support panel
47,49 and each transition molding 57,59 sized along with the upper
edge 61 of said central, quadrilateral panel 51, to form a
continuous, transition panel 7.
The continuous, transition panel 7 is in a plane parallel to the
first bottom wall 9 and sized to close the inset area formed
between the transition moldings 57,59 at their upper edges 61. The
continuous, transition panel 7 provides a flattened lip that closes
the gap at the top of the inset formed by the juncture of the
central, quadrilateral panel 51 and the transition moldings 57,59.
This lip connects the first and second receptacles and allows
liquid to be poured from the first open receptacle to the second
open receptacle.
The second open receptacle 5 is of relatively lesser dimensions
than the first open receptacle 3 and serves two major functions of
the container of this invention: (1) this receptacle is sized to
receive and retain a paint brush and an amount of paint to be used
in conjunction with the paint roller for which the first open
receptacle is used and (2) this receptacle serves as a spout from
which the paint can be easily decanted.
The second open receptacle 5 has as components: a second bottom
wall 63, a second front wall 65, two second side walls 67,69 and a
second rear wall 71. Each of the second front wall 65, second side
walls 67,69 and second rear wall 71 is fixedly attached at its
lower edge to an edge 73 of the second bottom wall 63 and at its
side edges 65 to a side edge 65 of an adjacent second wall thereby
forming the second open receptacle 5.
The second rear wall 71 is fixedly attached to an edge of the
continuous, transition panel 7 and sized so that the second open
receptacle 5 has sufficient depth to retain a quantity of liquid.
The second side walls 67,69 each form an upper edge 23 continuous
with the upper edge 23 of the adjacent quadrilateral, support panel
47,49 of the first open receptacle. This upper edge 23 is in a
plane parallel to the plane of the first bottom wall 9. The second
side walls 67,69 are sized to mate in fixed attachment with the
second front wall 65, the second rear wall 71 and the second bottom
wall 63.
The second bottom wall 63 is in a plane parallel to the plane of
the first bottom wall 9.
The second front wall 65 is made up of a quadrilateral panel 73
molded in fixed attachment at one edge 75 with the second bottom
wall 63 and at the edges adjacent thereto molded in fixed
attachment with the second side walls 67,69. The remaining edge 77
forms an equal, obtuse angle 79,81 of up to 130.degree., preferably
120.degree. with the upper edge 23 of each of the side walls 67,69
inside the second open receptacle 5 thereby providing a spout 83
for pouring.
The quadrilateral panel 75 which makes up the second front wall 65
of the second open receptacle is molded as a single panel so that
the edge 73 that joins the second bottom wall 63 is of equal length
with the edge of the bottom wall to which it is joined. The edges
adjoining the second side walls 67,69 are also equal in length to
the edges to which they are joined. The remaining edge 77, however,
is extended in the molding process to form a spout 83 so that this
edge forms an obtuse angle with each of the side walls within the
receptacle and the center 85 of the edge is extended forward from
the plane containing the edges of the walls to which the second
front wall is joined and the remaining edge is longer than the
distance between the most forward point 87,89 of the upper edges of
the side walls.
For practical purposes, which depend on the viscosity of the liquid
to be poured from the spout 83, the remaining edge 77 of the
quadrilateral panel 75 can form a continuous edge 23 in the same
plane as the upper edge 23 of the rest of the first and second open
receptacles or the plane in which the remaining edge 77 lies can
extend at an angle inclined upward or downward from the plane in
which the upper edge of the rest of receptacles lie. A practical
limit for the angle of inclination is considered to be about
15.degree. either upward or downward, although angles of greater
degree are certainly feasible. It is presently preferred that the
spout 83 be at an angle declined about 10.degree. from the plane in
which the upper edge 23 of the rest of the first and second open
receptacles lies. The continuous upper edge 23 of the container
formed by the upper edges of all portions of walls forming the
outer periphery of the container and the upper edge of the second
front wall, quadrilateral panel 77 can be molded into a continuous
edge or it can be molded into a flattened, continuous lip or a
depending, continuous lip.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the dimensions
of the containers are sized to make them nestable so that a maximum
number of items can be maintained in a minimum space for storage
and shipping. For the containers to be nestable the dimensions of
the exterior surfaces of the walls must be sufficiently less at the
edges 19 at which they adjoin the bottom wall than at their upper
extremities 23 and the dimensions of the wall portions forming
insets must be sufficiently more at the edges at which they adjoin
the bottom wall than at their upper extremities that one container
can fit within another. This is expressed in another way as: (1)
each of the front wall 11,65; side walls 13,15,67,69 and rear wall
17,71 of each of the first and second open receptacles 3,5 is
sufficiently longer at its upper edge 23 than at the edge 19 that
adjoins the bottom wall 9, (2) each of the central, quadrilateral
panel of said first rear wall 29; the central, quadrilateral panel
51 and the two transition moldings 57,59 of the first front wall of
the first open receptacle 3 is sufficiently longer at the edge 19
that adjoins the bottom wall 9 than at its upper edge 23 and (3)
the continuous transition panel 7 is sized so that the container is
nestable with a duplicate container.
The container can be equipped with means that aid in handling the
container when liquid is being poured from the spout. A groove 91,
typically a half cylinder, can be molded into the first bottom wall
9. The groove 91 is inset from the outside of the first receptacle
3 with the length of the groove parallel to the edge formed by the
junction 19 of the first bottom wall 9 and the central,
quadrilateral panel 29 of the rear wall. The distance of the groove
from the edge formed by the junction of the first bottom wall 9 and
the central, quadrilateral panel 29 of the rear wall is not
critical, but ideally falls within the span to give a normal hand a
fingerhold within the groove 91 while bracing the thumb against the
rear wall 17 of the container.
The container can also be equipped with handle means 93 for
carrying. Any means normally used as handles for containers is
suitable. The container can be equipped with holes near the top 23
of the first side walls 13,15 into which a bail is inserted or lugs
95 can be molded on the outside of the first side walls onto which
a bail is attached. The addition of appurtenances to the outside of
the container should be sufficiently near the upper edge of the
container to minimize interference with the nestability of the
container.
The material of construction for the container of this invention
can be chosen from any material that can be molded into the
container described above. Among these materials are: metals,
plastics, paper and paper products, and fiberboard products.
Presently preferred are thermoplastics such as polymers of olefins,
polymers of styrene, polymers of arylene sulfide, and the like.
More preferred are flexible polyolefins and flexible copolymers of
styrene, with styrene-butadiene polymer, currently, the most
preferred.
Within the purview of this invention is the addition of a lid 97 or
cover to the container. There are times when engaged in the
painting process that one must leave the project for a sufficient
amount of time that it would be advantageous to cover the
container. The present invention provides a cover that allows not
only the paint but also the paint roller and the brush to be left
in the container.
Referring to FIGS. 2-5 of the drawing, a continuous surface lid 97
is shown having a depending, lipped edge 99. The depending, lipped
edge 99 is sized for its inner surface 101 to engage the outer
surface 103 of the continuous edge formed by the upper edges 23 of
all portions of walls forming the outer periphery of the container
and the upper edge 77 of the second front wall, quadrilateral panel
thereby covering the container. When the upper edge 77 of the
second front wall, quadrilateral panel is inclined in relation to
the rest of the upper edge 23 of the container, the part of the lid
that engages the upper edge of the second front wall, quadrilateral
panel can be molded to lie in a plane that is inclined upward or
downward from the rest of the lid thereby corresponding to the
orientation of the upper edge of the second front wall,
quadrilateral panel. When the angle of inclination is 5.degree. or
less molding an inclined portion of the lid is not a necessity.
In another embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the lid
97 has edges 111 that are tapered from the outer side of the lid to
the inner side of the lid to engage the slope of the tapered inner
walls of the container. With this configuration the lid is more
easily removed when equipped with a handle 113 which can be of any
convenient shape but which is illustrated here as having a
presently preferred wedge shape.
Generally the lid is used simply to minimize the circulation of air
over the paint, roller or brush so an air-tight seal between the
lid and the container is not sought. Other configurations of the
lid by which the lid is fitted to the container are also
contemplated by the invention, such as (1) providing an extension
of the area of the lid to match the outer extension of the upper
edge that forms the top of the container and (2) providing a sloped
extension on the inner side of the lid around the inner periphery
of the top of the container to engage the inner surface of the
container thereby centering the lid on the container. The lid can
also have both the circumferential sloped extension inside the edge
of the container and the depending lip on the outside the edge of
the container. A lid with any of these edge configurations can be
equipped with a handle.
In a preferred embodiment of this invention there are portions cut
out of the lid 97: (a) a first cut out portion 105 at the edge of
the lid adjacent the central, quadrilateral panel of the first rear
wall with this cut out portion sized to accommodate the handle of a
paint roller, (b) a second cut out portion 107 located within the
periphery of the second open receptacle 5 with the cut out portion
sized to accommodate the handle of a paint brush or (3) the lid has
both types of cut out section in the same lid.
In another embodiment of the invention the central, quadrilateral
panel of the first rear wall 29 is equipped with means for
retaining the handle of a paint roller so that the roller handle
remains in place against the first rear wall. The handle retaining
means 109 is preferably a molded dimple or slit, sized so that the
wire handle of a paint roller can be pressed into the space between
the two sides of the dimple or slit and retained there.
The material of construction for the lid of this invention can be
chosen from any material that can be molded into the lid described
above. Among these materials are: metals, plastics, paper and paper
products, and fiberboard products. Presently preferred are
thermoplastics such as polymers of olefins, polymers of styrene,
polymers of arylene sulfide, and the like. More preferred are
flexible polyolefins and flexible copolymers of styrene, with
styrene-butadiene polymer, currently, the most preferred.
The invention thus being described, it will be obvious that the
same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be
regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention
and all such modifications are intended to be included within the
scope of the following claims.
* * * * *